## Chapter 196 – 196. 충정?
#196. Devotion?
“Huu, huu…”
Even though their lips had been touching for quite some time, Elisabeth remained in my arms, utterly flustered.
Her tightly shut eyes trembled.
Whenever I licked her lips, she would gasp and flinch.
It seemed she wasn’t quite ready, as her lips showed no sign of opening. Thanks to that, I had been merely licking her lips for nearly five minutes.
But I didn’t rush her.
‘Wow… look at those fingers sinking in.’
It was because I had not only stolen Elisabeth’s first kiss but also secretly fondled Tina, her guard’s breasts.
This was the least I could do out of conscience.
Tina’s breasts, soaked with sweat, were soft beyond words. My fingers sank into them as they pleased.
I teased the shyly blossoming light pink nipples, observing her reaction.
“…”
As expected, there was no reaction.
Even when I squeezed her breasts hard or pinched her nipples sharply, she didn’t even blink, let alone moan.
She simply stared at me with eyes that revealed nothing of her thoughts.
Was she subtly telling me to touch her properly, or was she monitoring me in case I tried something foolish?
Her lack of reaction only fueled my stubbornness.
[Skill ‘Sex Expert’ activated.]
[Foreplay Enhancement +50%]
Flinch!
No sooner had I used the skill than Tina’s body trembled slightly.
A faint bewilderment flickered in her eyes, which had previously shown no emotion. It was as if she couldn’t understand what was happening.
Although she didn’t moan, the encouraging result didn’t end there.
“…”
Merely squeezing her breasts caused Tina to move her lips slightly and even tremble her waist a little.
It was a very subtle reaction, but it wasn’t hard to notice.
Moreover, her nipples had become a bit harder than before.
As I massaged her breasts and gently rolled her nipples, Tina tried to pull her body back slightly, as if something was uncomfortable.
‘Can’t let you escape.’
I wasn’t about to let that happen.
Tug!
I pulled on the nipple of the cowardly assassin who was trying to back away.
“?!”
The stimulation was greater than expected, and Tina covered her mouth with both hands, trembling. Our eyes met naturally.
Cold sweat streamed down her pale cheeks. She looked utterly bewildered.
I smiled faintly and pinched her nipple hard.
“…Uht.”
Finally, a small moan escaped her lips.
It was a bit disappointing that it wasn’t loud enough for Elisabeth to hear, but considering her previously wooden reaction, it was a satisfying result.
Calming my excited heart, I looked at Elisabeth.
Her lips were still tightly closed. I persistently licked between her lips, waiting for the opportunity that would eventually come.
With one hand, I touched Tina’s breasts, and with the other, I stroked Elisabeth’s cheek.
I could feel the texture of her skin, as smooth as silk.
As I caressed her earlobe and became a bit more proactive, the tension seemed to ease, and a gap formed between her lips.
“Hup?!”
In the moment Elisabeth let her guard down, I succeeded in inserting my tongue into her mouth.
As soon as our tongues touched, Elisabeth froze.
[Skill ‘Sex Expert’ activated.]
[Foreplay Enhancement +20%]
But as I used the skill and touched her ear, she gradually leaned into me. I wanted to hug her waist, but I had to restrain myself because of the watchful gaze.
“…Heut.”
Suddenly feeling resentful towards Tina, I pinched and pulled, focusing on tormenting her nipples.
It should have hurt, but Tina’s face showed no sign of distress.
Rather, a faint blush appeared.
It seemed I had unintentionally given her a reward.
‘…Is it too early to say she has masochistic tendencies?’
Ordinary women basically have some degree of masochistic tendencies. It’s the sadistic ones that are rare.
I continued to torment Tina while intertwining my tongue with Elisabeth’s.
We exchanged saliva, shared body heat, and focused on the breaths that touched.
“Huu… huu… smooch, smooch…”
As time passed, Elisabeth clung to me.
She embraced me and craved the kiss. When the hand caressing her ear became rougher, she would tremble as if startled and moan.
Her flushed face, disheveled eyes, and the tears that welled up were so sensual that I doubted whether a princess of a nation should be like this.
Thanks to that, I had to spend quite some time without being able to straighten my back.
After what felt like dozens of minutes, I was finally able to break free.
I had intended to devour her, but it felt like I had been eaten instead.
As our lips parted, a single thread connected us before snapping with a ‘pop’.
I looked at Elisabeth, who was touching her lips as if she felt somewhat disappointed.
“…It’s nothing special.”
Turning her head, she tried to act nonchalant with a trembling voice. I wasn’t so clueless as to point that out, so I didn’t add any unnecessary remarks.
While Elisabeth straightened her clothes, my gaze turned to Tina.
‘I thought she’d go quickly.’
Surprisingly, Tina didn’t reach climax by the end of the kiss.
Although her reaction was faint, I thought she would have reached it at least once, considering how long I had been caressing her.
“Tina, tie the string in the back for me.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
At Elisabeth’s call, Tina rushed over.
“Hmm? Tina, are you feeling unwell? Your face is a bit red?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Despite the sharp remark, there wasn’t a hint of tremor in Tina’s voice.
Of course, the one receiving it might have a slightly different perspective.
“Hmph…”
Elisabeth’s gaze turned to me.
It was a look that seemed to suspect something.
Lacking confidence in my acting skills, I gave her a suitable smile.
“Hmm…”
Elisabeth looked back and forth between me and Tina before averting her gaze. It felt like she was letting it go because she didn’t have any solid evidence.
I glanced at Tina, who seemed unfazed.
‘It doesn’t really matter if I get caught.’
I didn’t want to stir up trouble unnecessarily.
“Your Highness, this way for a moment.”
Tina seated Elisabeth on a chair and began to comb her hair with skillful hands.
‘…Where did she get the chair and comb from?’
Both the chair and the comb were high-end items that didn’t fit at all with the chaotic store. Even if we considered the chair, Tina’s clothes didn’t seem to have any space to store a comb.
‘Is it an artifact?’
The purple-haired mage I met when crossing the border came to mind.
He also pulled a staff out of thin air.
If I assumed Tina had something similar, the source of all those throwing weapons would also make sense.
Well, it wouldn’t be strange for a princess’s direct guard to have an artifact or two.
“Um, Princess?”
I cautiously spoke to Elisabeth, who was arranging her bangs.
But she pouted her lips as if something displeased her and avoided my gaze.
“…Elisabeth.”
“Yes?”
Elisabeth whispered in a voice smaller than an ant’s crawl.
“…C-call me, call me Elisabeth-nim.”
I stared intently at her, who had covered her face with her side hair and lowered her head deeply.
Even if she had covered her face, she couldn’t hide her bright red earlobes.
Perhaps because they were buried between her pink hair, it looked like camouflage.
I struggled to suppress the laughter that seemed ready to burst out and continued speaking.
“Is it perhaps a term of endearment?”
No answer came.
Instead, she slowly nodded her head.
“I’m honored.”
“…Tina, capture him immediately. It’s treason.”
My tone must have displeased her, as I had to deal with Tina, who genuinely tried to capture me for a while.
Ah, I got hit in the shin.
“So, why did you call me?”
Having been subdued by Tina and rolling on the floor, I cleverly released myself from the restraints and stood up.
The cleverness I’m referring to was touching her breasts.
Perhaps she didn’t expect me to touch her breasts, Tina was startled and stepped back.
“Could I ask you for a favor?”
“…A favor?”
It could be said that I was asking for too much, considering I had not only received the princess’s first kiss but also fondled the beautiful assassin’s breasts, but what I was about to ask for was clearly a favor, not compensation.
There’s a saying that even brushing against someone’s clothes is fate.
I had even saved the princess’s life, so it was worth trying to ask for a favor.
Well, if she said no, there was nothing I could do.
“Heu, heuheu…”
Besides, for some reason, Elisabeth seemed to be in a good mood.
She had been sulking just a moment ago.
‘Could it be that time of the month?’
If that were the case, her fluctuating mood would be understandable.
“Alright, I’ll make you my knight.”
“…?”
Suddenly, a knight?
“Well… even though your words and actions are a bit rude, your skills seem certain. I can’t give you a knighthood right away, but I’ll ask my father soon…”
“Um, that’s not it.”
“Hm?”
I interrupted the princess, who was trying to proceed with the story as she pleased.
I didn’t know what she was mistaken about, but it seemed necessary to correct her.
“I was just asking you to write me a letter of recommendation.”
“…?”
“…??”
***
To head to the next destination, the Principality of Orsia, one must go to the eastern border region of the Kingdom of Nibia.
However, the Principality of Orsia is currently in a civil war.
It wouldn’t be as easy to cross the border as before.
Moreover, there were even rumors that a conscription order had been issued in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Nibia.
I didn’t know if the rumors were true, but the problem was that quite a few people actually believed them.
Even just coming to the capital, the refugee procession I encountered numbered in the thousands.
Thanks to that, the checkpoints between cities had become strict.
Especially in the case of foreigners, passage was difficult if there was even one suspicious point.
Of course, thanks to the reliable means of bribery, there were no major problems, but I didn’t know how long that would last.
But if I had a letter of recommendation from the royal family, things would be different.
Not only would I be able to go to the Principality of Orsia without much difficulty, but more than anything, it would be useful in shaking off pursuers.
That’s why I asked Elisabeth for a letter of recommendation.
“…That hurts.”
Instead of a letter of recommendation, I was kicked in the shin.
“Hmph!”
The perpetrator shamelessly snorted at the victim who was complaining of pain. As if appealing that she was in a worse mood.
It was absurd.
But in order to receive the letter of recommendation, it was necessary to match her mood to some extent.
Being quietly tied up and riding in the carriage was also part of that.
‘The carriage is nice.’
I realized once again how trashy the carriages I had ridden so far had been.
If the carriage I was riding now was a Porsche, the carriages I had ridden so far were like ox carts?
“Could you at least tell me the destination?”
At the same time as I asked the question, a fierce gaze was directed at me.
“The royal palace.”
“Yes?”
Why would I go there?
“You said you wanted a letter of recommendation.”
“Ah.”
“Besides, the attack that happened earlier was clearly an attempted assassination of the royal family. The perpetrators are executed without exception, and those involved are also subject to severe penalties for high treason.”
Only then did I realize why the corpses of the attackers were loaded onto the carriage following behind.
They were probably going to display them in the square after beheading them.
“The procedure is complicated, so it will take some time, but if all goes well, you may even receive a medal. Of course, there will also be monetary compensation accordingly, so you can look forward to it.”
Tap tap.
Elisabeth tapped on the window.
The royal palace, which had looked about the size of a finger joint when we first entered the city, was now so close that I had to lift my head to barely see the end of it.
